Targets for the planned downsizing of the Government were made public yesterday in a sign of leaders' seriousness to implement reform.
Premier Zhu Rongji's plan to cut half of the eight million government jobs nationwide led to a reduction in the number of central government ministries in March from 40 to 29.
Since then, there has been bitter infighting within the ministries over who will keep their jobs.
The official Outlook magazine published targets and lists of duties for seven of the 29 ministries, including many of the most important.
The State Development Planning Commission will be cut to 590 officials and the Ministry of Science and Technology to 230.
The Ministry of State for Nationalities Affairs, responsible for formulating and implementing policy towards China's ethnic minorities, will be slashed to only 150 cadres, while the Ministry of Civil Affairs, responsible for local government and disaster relief, to 215 officials.
